Friday, November 28, 2008

Hope everyone had a happy turkey day and ate way too much stuffing. Holiday sale season begins today, and here's a pretty big sale to start it off -- 50% off at the F+W Publications Bookstore. The sale ends Sunday (the 30th) so go there now to get your 2009 copy of Writer's Market or Poet's Market for half off. Just type WDTHANKS in the coupon field when you check out.

December is almost here. Doesn't the year fly by? Opening December 1st we have the Connecticut River Review Poetry Contest, with top prizes of $400, $200, and $100. The $15 entry fee covers up to 3 unpublished poems, and the contest runs through February 28th, 2009.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Niteblade editor Rhonda Parrish recently posted a great review of my horror poetry chapbook, Bits and Pieces. Check it out and then buy a copy. They make great gifts.

Speaking of Niteblade, they've just hired poet and artist RH Fay for the unique position of "art blogger." Take a look at his first post, featuring the whimsically nightmarish Ciaran Collins.

Apex Publications has been holding a raffle, and they've extended it until December 15th. Lots of cool prizes, and 10% of all proceeds will go to Dolly's Imagination Library.

And last but not least we have the Smink Works Books Short Story Competition, which features three top prizes of $100/$60/$40 for an unpublished story up to 1000 words. Entry fee is $10, and the contest theme this year is "Laughter." All winners will be published in a contest anthology and receive a free copy. Get to work -- the deadline is December 1st.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Neither of these markets is specifically seeking haiku or horror, but both are speculative, and it's been a slow week, so I thought I'd mention them anyway.

Residential Aliens: An online journal looking for "quality speculative fiction with a spiritual foundation." They want science fiction or fantasy stories, but nothing horror or R-rated. The current reading period is November-December. Payment is $1 (via PayPal) for fiction from 500-5000 words, plus a free link. Reprints and simultaneous submissions OK, and their response time is 1 week.

Silver Blade: "A quarterly journal of classic fantasy." They are still accepting works for their first issue (to be released at the end of November) but it looks like it will be quarterly online issues with a yearly print anthology. Looking for fiction from 100-4000 words, poetry, and artwork. Pays a flat rate of $5 per item, and they say they respond to submissions "within a couple of weeks."

Also, Abyss & Apex (which is currently open to fiction subs) will reopen to poetry submissions December 1st.

The holidays are fast approaching... if you're looking for a gift for that special writer in your life, check out my Out to Lunch Cartoons shop for mugs, postcards, journals, and other writing-related items featuring "Out to Lunch" cartoons from SP Quill Magazine. I've gone through recently and lowered almost all of the prices. (You can also get there from the ad towards the bottom of this page.)

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Atomjack is an online science fiction/science fantasy magazine. Current pay rate is $10 per story/poem/article, but in 2009 all accepted works will be paid $20. They accept reprints and simultaneous submissions. Read the full guidelines for more information. To see what the editors like, check out this issue's cover pic, and "Invaders" by Mari Ness.

Atomjack is also currently seeking submissions for its "alternate future" e-anthology, titled The Butterfly Affects. Payment for the anthology is $15 per poem or flash fiction piece and $30 per short story (1,000 to 10,000 words). They will be accepting submissions through May 2009, so you still have some time.

In case you haven't heard, the table of contents for the 2008 Dwarf Stars anthology has been announced. It's quite a collection of poets, including many mainstream haiku poets that I never thought I would see in a speculative anthology. I'm not sure when copies will be mailed out to SFPA members, but if you're not a member (or you want 2 copies) you can order your copy here.

Lastly we have the 2008 Winter Moon Awards for Haiku. There is no website (as of yet) for this contest, but here are the guidelines, listed in the current Haiku Society of America newsletter:

Submit up to 10 unpublished haiku, not being submitted anywhere else, on one sheet of paper. Prizes for the top three poems are $100/$50/$25, and there is no entry fee. Send 2 copies -- one with name and address in the upper left hand corner, and one with just the poems -- to Carolyn Thomas, 7866 Hogan Circle, Hemet CA 92545. Include an SASE for results. All entries must be in hand by December 1st.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Here are two short-form poetry contests, both of which close on December 31st. But don't be lulled into complacency by the far-off deadline... it'll pounce before you know it.

- White Lotus Haiku Competition: This contest accepts unpublished haiku not under consideration elsewhere. Prizes are $100/$50/$25, and the entry fee is $2/haiku, or three entries for $5. Entries can be sent through the mail or online.

- Sketchbook's First International Erotic Tanka Contest: The name says it all. Tanka must be mailed in with the $1 entry fee (per poem) on 3x5 cards. Like the White Lotus competition, this one also boasts prizes of $100/$50/$25, and also will not accept previously published poems or poems being simultaneously submitted.

I'll post both of these contests on the sidebar as the deadline gets closer. If you've got a few spare moments, check out Darrell Lindsey's winning haiku from the 2007 Pinewood Haiku Contest, and a short speculative poem from the current issue of Abyss & Apex by Francis W. Alexander.